Reviewed: Victoria Beckham x Estée Lauder Eye Foil

I like to think of my life as B.C. and A.C.—before cream formulas and after cream formulas. During the B.C. age, I would spend copious amounts of time perfecting my smoky eye with my favorite powder eye shadow palettes and whirling powder blush, highlighter, and contour along my cheeks using various brushes of all shapes and sizes. As much as I enjoyed the soothing ritual of this process, I hated how long it took to ensure everything was perfectly blended to my liking (and don’t even get me started on the annoying powder fallout). As someone who is perpetually late, time is of the essence, especially when it comes to my beauty routine.

Then, the beauty industry started wooing me with cream formulations of all of my favorite products—velvety blushes, shimmery shadows, and creamy highlighters, all of which I could smear and smudge on my face with just my fingers. Switching from powder to cream has cut my beauty routine time in half, and I haven’t looked back.

Alas, the honeymoon period has long since passed, and though I treasure my cream makeup products, it’s been a while since something has come across my desk that truly excited me. Enter Victoria Beckham by Estée Lauder’s new Eye Foil in Blonde Gold ($40). The second I opened the opulent little pot, I felt all the signs of a first crush: a quickening heartbeat, flushed face, and sudden desire to blurt out the first thing on my mind (in this case, which was a very loud: “OMG!”)

It’s hard to describe this eye makeup product without making up ideas like "liquid stardust." First of all, the texture is unlike anything you’ve ever tried; light, fluffy, and frothy, like a glitter-flecked, dazzling meringue. You dip your finger in it (a little goes a long way) and apply wherever you want to exude an ethereal sparkle. I tapped and blended it along my eyelid, but you can also just use it on the inner corners of your eyes a more subtle effect.

Unlike other mousse-formula eye shadows, it doesn’t require much blending and feels more like a liquid once it comes into contact with your skin. I’d describe the final effect as a dry sparkle; there’s not much dewiness to it once it sets, but the angelic, light-reflecting effect is so mesmerizing even the staunchest dew-lovers (like myself) will be appeased.

Victoria Beckham cited L.A. and Miami as two cities that inspired this product, but the appeal is truly universal. The best part about the formula is that since it’s so airy and whipped, you can wear it alone, layer it for a more intense effect, or tap it over your other eye shadows. I’m looking forward to trying the glistening black version, Burnt Anise, next and not only because makeup artist Violette looks amazing in it below: